This invention relates to a process for making an aromatic nitriles from a benzotrihalide and an ammonium halide. In particular, it relates to such a process in which a small amount of an oxygen-donating initiator is used.
Aromatic nitriles are important intermediates in the dye and pharmaceutical industries. At the present time, benzonitrile and chlorinated benzonitriles are made on an industrial scale by reacting benzotrichloride or a chlorinated benzotrichloride, respectively, with ammonia gas, ammonium hydroxide, or ammonium chloride in the presence of a catalyst such as ferric chloride, zinc chloride, copper chloride, or copper oxide. While these reactions produce the desired product, they also produce unwanted byproducts, such as tar residues, resulting in a significant amount of solid waste. Also, some of the reactions have been found to selectively form triazine in the presence of catalysts such as ferric chloride.